Speakers Evening

On Thursday 16th April the Rotary Club of South Queensferry held its second meeting through the medium of Zoom. President Jim McCulloch was joined by twenty-four members and one guest and welcomed speaker Sue Hope from the charity Freedom From Fistula who delivered a fascinating and thought provoking presentation on screen. Queensferry Rotary Club has a long-standing record of supporting this charity and Sue thanked members for their fantastic contributions over the past ten years. Freedom From Fistula operates in Africa, particularly in Malawi, Madagascar and Sierra Leone. It treats injuries suffered by women in childbirth, often through prolonged, obstructed delivery and poor or non-existent obstetric care. Urinary incontinence and other difficulties resulting from fistula frequently results in women being ostracised by their families and friends. The condition can be corrected by surgery and is virtually unknown in the western world. Sue explained that donations from Rotary and other organisations have enabled Freedom From Fistula to take over  the Aberdeen Women's Centre in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from Mercy Ships - another charity supported by Rotary. The clinic can treat up to three-hundred fistula patients per year. The centre also trains nurses who sign a government bond not to leave Sierra Leone for five years. There is a maternity unit and out-patient clinic for children. The 'Dream Girls' programme supports vulnerable and destitute teenagers during and after childbirth. It also provides health education and literacy and numeracy coaching to prepare them to return to school. Sue's talk concluded with the story of a nine-year-old with multiple problems, including fistula, who was brought by the charity to Yorkhill hospital in Glasgow for treatment and is now leading a healthy and happy life. As aptly names Sue Hope put it 'The main aim of Freedom From fistula is to give women hope.'

In a variation from normal Rotary tradition, a virtual vote of thanks was proposed by Gerald Smith and President Jim closed the meeting in time for members to participate in Thursday's clap for the NHS .